1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a table tennis-type game apparatus incorporating a pair of horizontally spaced apart generally planar tabletop sections inclined downwardly toward each other and to be used in connection with a table tennis ball or the like and suitable paddles in a ball-paddle game similar to table tennis but not including a net. The incline of the tabletops causes the game ball to bounce along a higher trajectory in order to shorten the length of the playing area to be occupied. The tabletops, in one disclosed form of the invention, comprise halves of a carrying case releasably joined together to provide storage space for the game paddles, the ball and the support structure by which the tabletops are supported relative to each other for game play. The paddles to be used in playing the game include front sides for striking the game ball and rear sides along which elongated support handles extend in slightly spaced relation relative to the paddles. The space between the rear sides of the paddles and the handles is slightly greater than the thickness of the base end of an adult's forefinger.
2. Description of Related Art
Various different forms of paddle-ball games incorporating a playing table heretofore have been provided including table tennis and various modifications thereof such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 454,700, 2,614,839, 2,665,908, 3,172,664, 3,622,156, 3,942,795 and 4,307,882. However, these ball-paddle games usually require a game area of considerable length and width and the game of the instant invention therefore utilizes tabletop sections which are inclined upwardly away from each other to increase the height of the trajectory of the game ball and thus reduce the length of the required area in which to play the game.